Week in Review – Trump pro-life actions; PP sex ed; Title X $$ replacements
The Trump administration has taken two actions—one national and one international—that we want to call to your attention.
Here in the United States, the Trump administration sent a notice on Wednesday to the University of Vermont Medical Center after a federal investigation concluded the hospital forced a Catholic nurse to assist with an abortion despite her objections to the procedure. The Washington Examiner story included the following statement from Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights: “We do not want a society where on the issue of life and death people are forced to violate their deepest-held beliefs.” According to published reports, this Vermont case is the third such enforcement the Trump administration has taken. The other two cases happened in California and Hawaii after healthcare workers declined to refer patients for an abortion. Severino said the agency now gets hundreds of conscience objections a year, a jump from the average of one a year that the Obama administration got.
On the international scene, C-FAM reports that “The U.S. Government has reached out to foreign capitals to request support for U.S. pro-life efforts at the United Nations. Such a high-level pro-life effort by a U.S. administration is unprecedented. A joint letter signed by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary Alex Azar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was sent last month to ask governments to support U.S. pro-life efforts at the United Nations in the lead up to a global health summit this September.” The United States delegation to the UN, along with like-minded countries, is fighting an ever-growing effort, especially by the European Union, to have abortion declared a “human right” around the world. Please pray that a large number of countries will respond favorably to the US appeal and the lives of preborn children will be saved.
KRTH Radio in Houston (TX) reported this week that “After hearing from outraged parents, Austin Independent School District has backed off plans to use Planned Parenthood’s sex education materials in its schools.” The catalyst for the confrontation was the parents’ objections to Planned Parenthood’s “Get Real” curriculum. The radio report states: “In the end, Austin ISD cited a new state law that bans local governments from contracting with abortion providers or their affiliates. The district says “staff” are rewriting the curriculum for both grades 3-5 and 6-8, and will allow parents to review all materials before adopting them later this year.” If past history is any indicator, the parents will need to be especially vigilant when reviewing the new curriculum. In many school districts, staff-written curriculums are just as troublesome as the PP version, but the staff knows how to disguise the wording so it appears to be okay. Of course, the ultimate problem here is that sex education has no place in the classroom. It is harmful to students—no matter what the content or intent. Sex education needs to be taught one-on-one with young people when each has developed the needed level of mental maturity. For more information on this, read A Psychoanalytic Look at Today’s Sex Education by Dr. Melvin Anchell.
Finally this week, after Planned Parenthood opted out of the federal Title X program—refusing $60 million in funds just so it could continue referring for and doing abortions—city and state governments seem to be falling all over themselves to give taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood. The state of New York has already committed $15 million to PP, while the City of New York set aside $250,000 for the organization. The state of New Jersey is trying to add $9.5 million on top of the $10 million it already gives Planned Parenthood. Washington State said this week that it will cover the $2.9 million PP lost in Title X funds in the state. In San Jose (CA), home of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte—Planned Parenthood’s biggest and richest affiliate—the city voted this week to give the organization $250,000. STOPP is collecting data on all of this and will issue a report by the end of October on what is happening. You will be able to read that in the Wednesday STOPP Report.
ALL in the News – Judie Pens Open Letter to a Catholic abortion supporter; Christian Post Amends Article
This week, Judie Brown wrote an open letter response to a Catholic author who wrote about her two abortions. The article, My Two Abortions, was published by supposedly Catholic site “Commonweal”. In the article, the author claims abortion is essential to female experience and shows her support for the murdering of children. Judie wrote a response directly to the author, who remained anonymous, begging her to see the dignity in preborn babies. Judie’s response was also sent to Commonweal, who declined to answer.
On Thursday August 22, the Christian Postpublished an article on the division created between pro-life groups caused by heartbeat bills. Judie released a statement to the Postdetailing the cause of the division, which the Postthen added into the article.
Jim Sedlak’s Pro-Life Activism from Creation to Death is a weekly talk-radio program on the Radio Maria USA network. The show can be heard live every Friday at noon (Eastern Time) and is repeated on Saturdays (10 PM).
Video of the Week – This Education is Harmful to Kids
The problem with classroom sex education is that it ignores the impact on the mental well-being of the child. Not all children mature at the same age. So how can a one-size-fits-all curriculum be expected to educate without consequences?
Action Item of the Week – A fantastic idea!
I know there are many, many active and innovative local pro-life groups all across the country. I have had the honor of working with a lot of them over the last 35 years.
In recent years, the folks at Pro-Life Waco always amaze me with their ability to come up with unique and effective ways of spreading the pro-life message. The leader of Pro-Life Waco is John Pisciotta, who happens to also run the Hometown Pro-Life Action on Facebook. With over 10,000 members and an emphasis on local action, it is always inspirational to read the posts there.
This week, Pro-Life Waco is pushing an action involving the movie UNPLANNED. As we told you a couple of weeks ago, the movie is now available for you to buy on DVD or Blue Ray.
Well, the folks at Pro-Life Waco have decided to involve their local churches in promoting this movie again. The idea is simple, and we encourage all our readers to do the same in your communities:
- UNPLANNED is the story of the conversion of a Planned Parenthood clinic director—Abby Johnson—who left the organization and is now leading a pro-life group, And Then There Were None, which is working to get other people to leave the abortion industry.
- The movie is hard-hitting and captivating. It has demonstrated its ability to motivate people to take pro-life action.
- The producers of UNPLANNED had to fight to even get the movie shown in a small number of theaters in the United States, but it grossed over $18 million and is considered a major box office success.
- The movie is now on DVD and available for anyone to purchase.
So . . . this October, it will be shown in churches all over the Waco, Texas, area. The showings are being coordinated by Pro-Life Waco and members of the various churches. Pastors are being invited to an informational meeting and being given free copies of UNPLANNED, The pastors are being asked to commit to showing the movie at their church October 25, 26, and 27.
YOU CAN DO THIS IN YOUR TOWN.
October is pro-life month, and what better way to commemorate the month than by having your local churches show this film.
REMINDER: American Life League has arranged with the Right to Life League of Southern California, one of the producers of UNPLANNED, for you to be able to get the DVD or Blue Ray discs at discount process. You can WATCH THE MOVIE TRAILER AND PURCHASE COPIES AT THE SPECIAL DISCOUNTED PRICE. By using this link, you will be able to purchase the movie at a significant discount. You will receive a $12 discount off the retail price of a DVD disc and a $17 discount off the retail price of a Blue Ray disc. Be sure to enter the code “RTLLSC” on the checkout form at the spot where it asks for a PARTNER CODE.
This is a unique opportunity for you to extend the impact of UNPLANNED in your community.
Schedule your churches to show the film today!
Pro-life Social Media – Just in case you missed these stories
Make sure you follow and like the American Life League Facebook page so you won’t miss out on great articles like these:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church on IVF
by Susan Ciancio
Nowhere else on earth except on a skinny white plastic stick can two vertical lines create such immense joy. What’s represented by those two lines—the culmination of marital love and unity—is the fulfillment of long-held hopes and dreams. Indeed, they often evoke tears of happiness and maybe even a little victory dance. These two lines tell us that a baby has been created.
Seeing the Good in Suffering
by Katie Brown
I remember when I was younger my dad had a book on his bookshelf that always intrigued me. The book was titled Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? That title always made me think, and now that I’m older, sometimes the question still puzzles me.
How Will We Respond?: A Challenge to “Pro-CHOICE” Catholics
by Tanya Janoski
America will never resist abortion until America sees abortion. . . . The pro-life movement is not primarily a response to Roe v. Wade. It is a response to Jesus Christ. — Father Frank Pavone, national director, Priests for Life